2025-2026 School Year
5th Grade History TR
Course Description
History for 4th and 5th grades is taught on a two year rotation using the Notgrass America the Beautiful curriculum. America the Beautiful by Charlene Notgrass is an American history, geography, and literature course designed for students in grades 5-8. It combines the flexibility and richness of a unit study with the simplicity of a textbook-based approach to history.
Daily lessons guide the child chronologically through American history, highlighting key events, people, and places. Part 1 covers US History from 1000 through 1877 and Part 2 covers US History from 1877 to modern day. There are 15 units in each book.
Each week the student will have history homework to be completed. The teacher will be responsible for grading tests and quizzes.
Literature Component: America the Beautiful Notgrass curriculum has recommended literature books to use in conjunction with the History/Geography course. Parents may choose to incorporate the literature component independently if they so desire. The literature books recommended and which units of study they partner with can be found on the Notgrass website by clicking HERE.
NOTE: Students enrolled at UHC for both 4th and 5th grades will complete the entire Notgrass America the Beautiful- Part 1 and Part 2 curriculum after those two years. For those who take this course for the first time in 5th grade, we recommend you do the second part of the America the Beautiful curriculum during your student’s 6th grade year so they complete the curriculum cycle. The Middle and High School programs at UHC continue using the Notgrass curriculum for their History and Geography classes. See below for required materials for the current school year.
Two Day Model
Students will have 1 day of homework per week except on weeks where a Unit Test is also assigned. See the chart below for homework examples. The teacher will be responsible for grading quizzes. Students will take history quiz JunoPods using Jupiter Ed.
To be successful in this class:
Listen and participate in class, complete assigned work on time, and follow instructions.
Grades: 5th Grade
Fees: Two Day Model: $1,050 for 5th grade package of 4 classes. Plus other applicable fees as listed on the Tuition & Fees webpage such as: enrollment fee, security fee, portrait/ID fee, etc…
Prerequisites:
Must be 10 by September 1st
Sections Offered: Blue Ridge
Required Materials
All editions should be 2nd edition (2021).
Part 2: 2025-2026 School Year
- Notgrass Curriculum: America the Beautiful, Part 2 – one per family (Used for 2025-2026)
- Student Workbook– one per student. Will be used for two years during the 2 year rotation.
- America the Beautiful, Answer Key – one per family. Will be used for two years during the 2 year rotation. This can be purchased as a hardcopy OR downloaded for free from the website.
Part 1: 2026-2027 School Year
- Notgrass Curriculum: America the Beautiful, Part 1 – one per family (Used for 2026-2027 school year)
- Student Workbook– one per student. Will be used for two years during the 2 year rotation.
- America the Beautiful, Answer Key – one per family. Will be used for two years during the 2 year rotation. This can be purchased as a hardcopy OR downloaded for free from the website.
Other Materials:
Each class has a supply list of required materials parents must purchase and send to class with their student. Supply lists will be available in the summer.
2 Year History Rotation:
| Part 2:
2025 – 2026 |
Mid to Modern US History |
|---|---|
| Textbooks/Materials Required: |
|
| Part 1:
2026 – 2027 |
Early to Mid US History |
|---|---|
| Textbooks/Materials Required: |
|
Homework Table Examples:
The following table is just an example meant to help you understand in class and homework assignments. The assignments listed below are a general representation and not from a specific teacher.
| Concepts | Monday at UHC | Day 1 HW | Wednesday at UHC | Day 2 HW |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colonial Williamsburg
Williamsburg Landmarks |
Students will learn the main lesson through powerpoint presentation and several hands-on activities. Some note taking will be required. | Read pages 120-125 in your textbook. Answer the questions in the Juno pod on JupiterEd. | Students will partner up to do a scavenger hunt around the room to learn about different jobs colonists had. Students will complete a workbook page based on this lesson. | Complete the Juno pod Unit 4 test on JupiterEd. This is open book.*
*On weeks where there are no Unit Tests, students who come twice a week will only have 1 day of homework* |
Blue Ridge
Meet Laurie Zweigle
Education:
- St. John Fisher College, Rochester NY
Teaching Experience:
- Teaching 4th grade in Gilead Christian School, Perry NY
UHC Courses Taught:
- 4th/5th History
- IEW 5th Grade
Homeschool Experience:
- 25 years of homeschooling my 5 children from Kindergarten through High school graduation.
Began teaching at UHC in 2023.